What happens after surgery?
by MarionetteLee
Summary: This is based on a short film called Meet me in Berlin starring Norman Reedus. This is what could happen after the end of the film.


He gingerly touched his face, not that he could actually feel anything. He ran his fingers along the stiches, not believing that this was actually his face. The swelling and bruising, the patch over his eye, he just couldn't believe it. Lucky he is able to pop pills like skittles, otherwise he might not be able to handle it. He just needed to talk to her, hear her voice that would make him a little more comfortable, a little happier. He reached for his phone.**_  
*beep beep*_**_  
"Hey, it is me. Uh, you must be busy or something. Well, I got out of surgery ok. Can't feel half of my face, and I must look like road kill, but I am ok. Uh, yeah, talk soon I guess."_

He waited before he called her again, a couple days. She was probably busy, maybe seeing a doctor or something. Maybe a physio. He called again, willing her to answer, willing her to have time to talk.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey it is me again, you really must be busy. Did I tell you they are making my wear a patch over my eye? Reminds me of a time in high school, my friends dared me to… never mind I just realised how stupid that story is, haha, um yeah. I will call again soon I guess."_

He can't believe he went to tell her that story. His friends dared him to walk around a club one night with an eye patch, hitting on all the girls he could, talking like a pirate. He shook his head, and felt immediate pain. A searing pain ran behind is eye then through his skull, like when lightning strikes water. He will wait to call her again, and in the meantime try not to shake his head again, that would probably be smart.

She looked at her phone, he had called again. She really should answer it one day; she just couldn't bring herself to do it. He had called her pretty, the prettiest cripple in Berlin last time they had spoken. She didn't deserve someone like him, not that they had actually met up after that one time. It was unfortunate that they had both had an accident that is what he said at least. She was almost elated, she didn't deserve him. Her knee reconstruction put it all into perspective; she will always be alone, even when he calls her she feels unbelievably alone. He was calling again, she should probably answer.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, you finally answered."  
"Yeah, uh sorry. I have been busy."  
"No, it is ok, I understand. I have been pretty busy myself"  
"You have, have you?"  
"I have, popping painkillers takes a lot of effort… That was bad."  
"No, no, it was funny. It was."  
"I have actually been busy though. Wondering what dumb luck got us into this. Both of us trapped in Berlin, me in hospital, you at home, but unable to see each other."  
"It is unfortunate, yes."  
"So, um, when I begin to heal, maybe we can, well, meet? Like we had originally planned maybe?"  
"I don't know, my knee…"  
"I can come to you, once I am able to see. This eye patch is making things a little difficult. It wouldn't be nice of me to come over for our date and not be able to see you."  
"It wasn't a date, remember?"  
"Yeah, I remember, how could I forget? So, do you, well like that idea?"  
"Sure, it would be nice."_

That brief conversation was enough to lift his spirits, she sounded ok. That was all he wanted to make sure she was ok. They would finally get to meet again, he couldn't keep the smile of his face.

She hurt, she didn't deserve him. She didn't want to meet him; she didn't want him to see what she had become. The shell of her former self, the ugliest cripple in Berlin.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, you must be busy with your knee or something. Um, it looks like I might be here longer than I expected. The doctors aren't really telling me anything. I just wanted to know if you were ok; I don't want my Berlin friend to be depressed is all, uh. So, um, I will call again soon, maybe."_

That smile that she had given him slowly faded, he wouldn't be able to see her for a while. He needed to talk to her, just hear her again. Maybe get her to laugh, he was worried about her. Before his surgery, she had sounded so flat. Being stuck at home must be depressing, he could imagine her now. Sitting by herself, trying to keep her knee stable, alone. He decided he would try and call her more often, keep her spirits up.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey you"  
"Hi"  
"You been busy again?"  
"Yes, I have been busy with doctors for my knee"  
"Really? What have they said?"  
"It is coming along nicely, yes"  
"Well, that is good."  
"Yes"  
"So, um. The doctors won't give me a date for when I will be able to leave."  
"I heard."  
"Yeah, I guess I told you in that message. Um, so it looks like I won't be able to see the prettiest cripple in Berlin anytime soon."  
"Yeah, it looks like."_

She doesn't deserve him, at all. She sat in her apartment, trying not to break down. He deserved the best. She wasn't the best, she wasn't near the best. She was done, done with everything.

She sounded ok, he thought. Everything would be ok, when he got out and could see her. He would make everything ok.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, it is me."  
"Hey"  
"How are you?"  
"I am ok I guess."  
"Cool. Um, I have been listening to a lot of mtv and stuff, just to pass the time again."  
"Sounds thrilling"  
"It sure is haha. The doctors still can't give me a date as for when I will be released, but they say I am making progress."  
"Well, that is something I guess."  
"I guess."_

She couldn't do it anymore, she saw her pain killers sitting on her table. She was done, she closed her eyes, and tried with all her might to down the bottle. She couldn't do it, she thought of him, and cried.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, it is me. I guess you aren't able to get to your phone. Uh, the surgeon came in to talk to me today, looks like I will be able to leave soon. Maybe we can have that non-date soon? If you don't mind stiches and bruising that is, I still look a bit like road kill, and if you will still want to of course, um. Well, yeah, I will call again soon."_

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, you must be with doctors or something. Maybe getting some exercise on your knee. I just wanted to make sure you were ok; it has been a while is all, and you seemed a little off last time. Um, yeah, we will hopefully talk soon."_

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, it is me again. It has been a while, are you ok? I just wanted to let you know, that I get out of here soon. We should catch up or something, I still am wondering how you smell remember? That made me sound creepy, scratch that last part ok? Just, I really hope you are ok. Talk soon."_

He had called her three times now, and three times she hadn't answered. He tried with all him might not to shout in frustration, to pull all the equipment out and run, find where she lived and just hold her. Hold her until she was ok, until they were both ok. Until she fell asleep in his arms; he just wanted to hold her.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey you"  
"Hi"  
"It has been a while, did you get my last messages?"  
"I did, sorry I haven't had time to call back"  
"Oh no problem, it is ok. Are you ok?"  
"I have been talking to my doctor a lot that is all."  
"Oh."  
"Yes."  
"Well, what have they said to you?"  
"That I need to continue to use it as little as possible, so I am still not really meant to leave my house."  
"That is too bad."  
"It is."  
"Well, hopefully soon I will be able to leave, and we can have that non-date."  
"Sure"  
"It will be good, I can make sure my friend from Berlin isn't depressed."_

"You there, hello?"

She had finally got the courage, she didn't deserve him, she didn't want him to see her. She was done, she downed the whole bottle, left her phone and waited.

What was going on? Why had she gone? He waited another couple of minutes and hung up. Maybe she had fallen asleep, or had something else she needs to do. He knew he was lying, she wasn't happy, she wasn't ok. Therefore he wasn't ok.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey you. You must be busy talking to your doctor, or making tea or something. I am just calling to see if you are ok. You just left the conversation the other day? Don't be sad, we can't have the prettiest cripple in Berlin upset."_

He willed her to be ok, to pick up her phone.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, I guess you are doing something. I am only calling to say hi, it has been a while. Um, I get out soon, was still wondering if our non-date was still on is all. So, um, yeah. I will call again soon I guess."_

Please, was all he thought, please pick up your phone, let me hear you talk.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Hey, I have no idea why you aren't answering your phone. You really have me worried. I get out of here tomorrow, thought that you might care. Yeah."_

He understood, he knew what was going on, he could still imagine the pain in her voice the last time they spoke.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"I don't understand. Why after all this time, do you stop answering? Please be ok."_

He started to lash out at the people he knew, trying to release the anger he felt, the pure red hot anguish that ran through his veins. He wanted to scream and shout, cry at the top of his lungs. He wanted her in his arms, just to make sure she was ok.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"I don't actually know what to say. I don't know why I bother calling still; you must think I am a stalker or something. Just, I am worried about you; you didn't seem yourself the last time we spoke. And between you and me, it has been to long since we have spoken. Call me."_

He really didn't know why he bothered, she wouldn't answer. He had given up on the people around him, refused to leave his house, became recluse. His only friend was his phone and his pain medication, using them both in abundance, to try to heal her and heal himself.

**_*beep beep*_**_  
"Hey. I just, I want to hear your voice. How is your knee? Still on the pain medication? Please, just call me back. I need to make sure you are ok. I need you."_

He had started to get his sight back in his left eye, which just seemed to make everything worse. He was able to see properly again, and he wasn't able to look at her. That was all he wanted, all he needed. He drank himself to sleep every night, imagined holding her and willed himself not to wake up.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"I don't know why I bother anymore, it is useless. It just hurts, knowing I can't hear your voice anymore, and not knowing why. Did I offend you? Is there someone else? Was there something I missed? Well, I am off the pain meds now, well almost. And I have almost no bruising left, so I am doing ok, in case you were wondering. I will call again soon I guess."_

He was trying, he was, but it was no longer enough.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Please, just call me back. I need to make sure you are ok, please."_

He had increased his pain medication, and his consumption of alcohol, if he couldn't be with her or at least hear her talk again, he didn't know why he bothered.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Just, please. Call."_

He was trying to hold on, trying with all his might.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"You know, I realise that it is stupid for me to continue to call, yet I still do. I don't know why I bother, is it to check on you? Or is it for myself?"_

He was doing this for himself he had released. He was doing this to stop himself from just fading away, this was his reason to live, and this was all he had.

**_*beep beep*  
_**_"Please."_

He was done. Just, done.


End file.
